THE RATTRAP

AUTHOR: SELMA LAGERLOF( SWEDISH WRITER)

THEME:
A BELIEF THAT THE ESSENTIAL GOODNESS OF THE HUMAN BEING CAN BE AWAKENED
THROUGH UNDERSTANDING AND LOVE
BACKGROUND
This story is is set amidst the mines in sweden, rich in iron ore
CHARACTERS
1. RATTRAP PEDDLER
2. CROFTER
3. IRONMASTER
4. EDLA WILLMANSSON
SCENES
1. Once upon a time there was a rattrap seller who used to sell rattraps made up of wire.He
made it himself by begging some kronors from the store or at the big farms.but even so he
was not able fullfill his necessities because this business was not profitable.so usual human
behaviour when we do not find any legal options to make money we approach illegal
options(like stealing,drug trafficking).so the tramp followed the path of thievery. Now he was
extremely sad, with his monotonous and lonely living. And when he plodded along the road
there was many thoughts running in his mind about the world. He made some serious
conclusions. He told that the whole world is equivalent to a big rattrap, it is to set baits for
people and the people who accept the bait fall into a big rattrap.and after that everything
comes to an end.He is thinking about this because everyone in his neighboured had ignored
him and never entertained him. It was a cherished pastime for him.One dark evening, when
he was plodding he got a sight of a little gray cottage and he thought to take shelter for
midnight there. But he was not sure that the owner would entertain him.when the door opened
a old man,without wife and child was happy to get someone who can take him out from from
loneliness. He immediately invited the tramp to enter the house and offered some porridge
and a big slice of tobacco roll(cigerrte) and also they played cards(mjolis).the crofter was
generous,then he started to talk about the days of prosperity when he was a worker at
Ramsjo ironworks. But now he had a bossy(cow) for fulfill his basic necessities.He also tells
the tramp that he earns thirty kronors daily and now a lavish & stressless life.By hearing this
tramp becomes very excited to the steal the money from the purse when the crofter leaves his
home to milf the cow.Next morning crofter was already awake and was ready to go out,
instantly the tramp got up and he also moved out together with crofter. After half an hour he
returned again to crofter’s house to steal 3 ten kronor bills from the leather pouch hanging
near the window. He smashed the pane and took the money and ran away. And he dared to
walk public highway he went towards thick forest. He escaped from crofter, but now fall in a
big rattrap, as night was approaching it was leading to extreme and he was totally lost in the
forest, he was not able navigate himself,whenever he navigated he returned to same
place(the woods). He was in gloom and despair and was perplexed but soon he heard
thumping sound from a direction and he rushed towards that direction and it was ramsjo
ironworks at which crofter used to work.Now the ramsjo ironworks which are now closed,a
large plant,with a smelter.In the long dark evenings of christmas, the master and the helper
and sitting in the dark forge near the furnace waiting for pig iron, ready to put anvil. Every now
and then one of them got up to stir the glowing mass with iron bar.He was dripping with sweat
and wore nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes.there were only the heards of
the big bellow groaned and the burning charcoal cracked . Outside roared the waterfall, and a
sharp northwind whipped the rain against the brick tiled roof.